Can You Hear Me?
by Bela Vosa
Summary: Yue's usefulness is finally over, and she's freed from her captivity. As Aizen-sama finally merges with that freaky sphere, she searches for her Captain and friend in the rubble. Part of 1000 Theme Challenge


AUTHOR NOTES:

1000 Theme Challenge 117. Can You Hear Me?

Recently I have begun reading bleach again. I left off in the middle of the Hueco Mundo Arc, due more to physical need than desire. And to say the least, I have thrown myself into it. But I was left with a serious question. How did Aizen get that damn thing in his chest? Since he didn't need Orihime (and actually used her just to get at Ichigo) I've been going in circles all day. I keep getting drawn back to the moment that Aizen attacks Toshirou too. How Toshirou says "You're right, I'm here because I hate you, that's why I'm going to kill you!" How would Toshirou deal with the moment of hatred passing? I want to know these things. I want to be a part of the story. So here is Yue, whose remarkable abilities to transfer and seal reiatsu brought her into the Gotei 13 way too early, all for the sake of Aizen's transformation. Her gentleness brings her friends (much like Tohru Sohma) and makes her easy to drag along to the dark side... Heh, the dirty part of me keeps seeing him without his shirt on and her pressing the Hōgyoku into his chest...

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><p><strong>CAN YOU HEAR ME?<strong>

"TOSHIROU!" I lost my ability to stand on the air, and Gin's arm was all that kept me up.

"Where do you think you're going princess?" He asked with that stupid smile on his face.

"You don't need me anymore, you never needed me," I snapped at him, but I was really speaking to Aizen. "You have your stupid Orihime right, so let me go! I'm not gonna be able to scratch you or anything, and I already helped you with-!"

"Let her go, Gin." Aizen spoke calmly, but I realized I'd almost spilled to the Gotei (or what remained of them) exactly how he'd gotten that freaky sphere in his chest. He could of killed me. I turned white.

"A-ai-aizen-sama..." I stuttered.

"You've been very useful, Yue." Aizen stared at me, his reiatsu overwhelming my ability to breathe. "But you're right. I no longer have any need of you."

"Ha-a-ai!" I forced my eyes away, no, he allowed me to look away.

Kurosaki-san was staring at me, everyone stared at me as I plummeted as fast as I could down to the battlefield. Toshirou-nii, where was Toshirou-nii? The fighting was starting above again by the time I found him. He was lying on his stomach, trying to sit up. I pushed him over. The amount of blood was overwhelming.

"Captain?" I begged. He was still trying to get up, even though he couldn't really move. His hand was reaching for his sword. I found it and brought it to him. He didn't even recognize me. If he did, what would he have said? Would he have blamed me, for going with Aizen-sama? Did he know I was forced? I became whatever could be called friends with the Espada. Was that betrayal? I was so lonely. And now, look what I've down. Aizen-sama was going to destroy everything. I could tell myself that he could have done it on his own, it would have only taken longer. And Aizen-sama, albeit a patient man, had proven to me that he hated waiting any longer. It's time, so... I sobbed, begging Toshirou to stop moving and wait until someone comes and heals him. I couldn't say it out loud, all I could do is cry, and try not to watch the battlefield. Aizen-sama was winning, he's winning... _**Hōgyoku!**_

My chest cried out as it activates. "Aizen-sama!" I couldn't breathe. All I'm good for is sealing, and unsealing, and reiatsu stuff. I could measure reiatsu to the milligram, if it could be measured that way. I was going to throw up, with the pain of the horrible thing I've done.

"Yue." My eyes snapped open.

"Toshirou!" I bend over him again.

"Stop calling him that," he said firmly, glaring at me. His right hand grasped my robes. "Call him a bastard, but don't call him that..." He closed his eyes against the pain and gulped.

"Toshirou-chan?" He didn't hate me? I lay down next to him, on the right so his hand wouldn't pull against the wound across his whole body. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. Niisan!"

"You didn't go with him on purpose?"

"No."

"You didn't kill anyone?"

"No."

"You didn't get hurt?"

"No." I shake my head regretfully.

"Then it's fine. Be patient. Everyone's still fighting. They're fighting for you." How could he look so at peace? I knew inside he was fighting himself, but on the outside he was patient and kind, just like always.

"What do you mean? I've been far away this whole time!" Toshirou looked at me again, patiently.

"What do the Gotei 13 stand for, Yue?"

"To defeat evil?" I ask softly, confused.

"Idiot!" I flinched. "To protect people. To protect big fat idiots like you." He flicked me on the nose and slumped back down on the ground.

"Oh," I offered.

"Hinamori?" He asked finally, staring at the sky.

I stretched my senses around the fake town. "Everyone's alive!" I was astonished. Not that they were alive, but how strong their spirits were despite their wounds. Aizen-sama, no Aizen was wrong after all. He said everyone would tremble and fall once they saw his power.

"Of course, idiot."

I flopped down on my back, staring up at the sky with him. "I'm not weak am I, Captain? Because I can't help you defeat Aizen?" Tears pooled in my eyes.

"No."_ You're getting stronger_, came unbidden into my mind. He said it every time I time I showed him a new kido, or gained a rank in the division, and even when I failed. Months in Hueco Mundo, the constant pain of Aizen's reiatsu bearing down on me, the fear that everyone would think I abandoned them, it all disappeared.

I smiled, crying softly, as we waited for the end.


End file.
